It is traditional that the most recently clothed liveryman is charged with carrying the Company’s special “Breeches Bible” (see below), to the Annual St James Day Church service held at St James Garlickhythe.

Note: Breeches Bible:
“ A name given to a bible printed in 1579 and so called from the reading of Genesis iii 7:

“they sowed figge-tree leaves together and made themselves breeches”:

Whilst this is the accepted version , in theory it has no more right to the name than Wickliffe’s version, in which the same words are also found” but breeches bible it is in our case.

(Above) Liveryman Timothy Bathe, Carrying the Breeches Bible in July 2004

The annual procession to St James Garlickhythe is always proceeded by a Whiffler to clear the way for the Master and his Wardens.

In ancient times the Whiffler may have been a piper or a trumpet playing official leading the procession.